1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to tubular liquid sampling and measuring devices, and, more particularly, to tubular devices which include a valve member which may be opened or closed by contact of the device on the bottom of a tank or reservoir.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The desirability of utilizing tubular structures for sampling and measuring liquids has long been recognized. It is important to the seller or dispenser of liquids, such as gasoline, to know if any contaminants, such as water, have entered the tank and, if so, what those contaminants might be. It is also important to know the amount of such contaminants, as determined by a core sample of the liquid and to also determine the total amount of liquid in the tank.
Many of the prior art sampling and measuring devices, as typified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,390,463, issued to E. Hirsch, are incapable of being opened only at the bottom of a tank to take a sample or remove contaminated liquid only. Such devices must be opened prior to immersion into the liquid and then triggered into a closed position.
Other devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,519, issued to A. Milo, have measuring sticks to determine the depth of the liquid, and hence do not take full core samples and cannot be both opened and closed by contact with the bottom of the tank, but rather have separate cords running to an external cord holder for opening a valve.
The sampling and measuring device of the present invention overcomes these deficiencies by providing a liquid sampling and measuring device having a valve which can be alternately opened or closed by simply engaging the bottom of a storage tank or reservoir with the device and by providing a tubular casing which can be readily extended to obtain a core sample of the entire fluid depth.